THE ROYAL HALF JOINS THE NATION NETWORK

Hold on to your lederhosen – the Nation Network family is growing again.

BACKSTORY

Back in March we were lucky enough to trick the #1 LA Kings blog The Royal Half – and in our mind one of the top hockey blogs on the entire internet – up to Edmonton to watch an Oilers-Kings game. The game itself was a real kick to the baby maker (approximately 140-0 for LA) but as the weekend rolled along we discovered that the gang at Nation HQ and these Hollywood blogging types had a lot more in common than we first realized.

Since that time we have traded billions of emails with statements like “What’s it like to be in the playoffs?” (Wanye) “Is it still snowing in Edmonton?” (Royal Half) and “Do you guys ever plan on making any content under the wall papers tab on OilersNation?” (PumperNicholl)

Oh how we laughed at each other’s backwards ways. But then the conversation swung around to the Nation Network’s ambitious plans to eventually launch SkyNet and how expanding into the US by partnering with the best blogs around is an important part of this cyborg launch sequence.

And so today we are thrilled to announce that The Royal Half is joining the Nation Network as our first American team site in the network.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

The Royal Half does an amazing job of talking LA Kings hockey. The Kings themselves have even hired The Royal Half to create content for their website and he is a credentialed member of the press. Unfortunately due to the restraining order he needs to keep at least a 100 foot distance from Jeff Carter. Convincing these guys to join the team was no small order – and now that this is done we have an excellent new family member with whom to talk smack. They think like we all think and like making funny pictures like we like making funny pictures! Just look at Obi Wan Scrivens here.

(laughs heartily smashing desk unnecessarily with fist)

Their extremely popular Pacific War Room – a weekly segment on all of the things happening in the Pacific Division – will be rolled out across The Royal Half, CanucksArmy, FlamesNation and OilersNation.

WHAT SHOULD I THINK?

Even if you don’t like the LA Kings – and frankly who does? – you should be pumped. We are going to do a lot more blog vs blog content this year and if you have to talk to LA Kings fans –

*spits*

These are the very best of the best.

WHAT DOES THE ROYAL HALF THINK?

Good question. Luckily we have conducted the first of 103,504 eventual interviews with The Royal Half about this very subject.

WG: What made you guys decide to join the Nation?

R1/2: Well, it all depends on how you look at it. We consider it more like the Nation has joined The Royal Half. But tomato, tomato I guess. Wait… do you guys even get tomatoes in Canada?

Of course, I’m kidding! No, the real reason we’ve joined up with the Nation and their fantastic network of blogs is that we wanted to give their awesome and dedicated readers the chance to cheer for a team that has an actual chance of winning a Stanley Cup during their lifetime. Third time’s a charm, am I right Kings fans?!?

WG: What were your impressions of Edmonton when you visited?

R1/2: Our Managing Editor, PumperNicholl, and I had a blast when we came to visit the City of Champions! It’s a thriving city with excellent health care and dining establishments. Really enjoyed Tres Carnales! Most importantly, we felt like Edmonton would be a safe place for Ben Scrivens to live and work… and that’s what matters the most!

WG: What were your impressions of Wanye when you visited?

R1/2: Did you just refer to your fake name in the third person? That’s embarrassing. Well “he” is even more attractive and muscular in person than I ever imagined he would be. Charming, witty, and just a great overall guy.

*looks over shoulder and begs Wanye to stop hurting him*

WG: Is there anything you’d like to tell the 60 million annual Nation Network readers?

R1/2: The LA Kings team that has won 2 Stanley Cups in 3 years was comprised via trades with the Edmonton Oilers (Jarret Stoll, Matt Greene, Colin Fraser)… the Calgary Flames (getting rid of Michael Cammalleri)… and the Toronto Maple Leafs (Matt Frattin for Marian Gaborik AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA).

Having Keaton Ellerby be claimed by the Winnipeg Jets allowed Alec Martinez to re-claim his spot on the blue line. And if the Vancouver Canucks hadn’t given up so early on Willie Mitchell… then well… there’d be no way we’d be announcing that The Royal Half has joined the Nation today.

So if there is one thing that I’d like to tell the 60 million Nation Network readers out there… it’s thank you. Thank you for being fans of such poorly run teams. Oh, and thanks for Wayne Gretzky too. That was awesome.

WHAT DOES STEVE TAMBELLINI THINK?

He is currently assessing the situation and should have an opinion on the matter sometime in the next 10 years.

Marc-Andre Fleury is having an unbelievable postseason. His current Sv% of .947 doesn’t just lead all goalies in these playoffs, it’s actually the highest Sv% of any goalie in a playoff year since the 1960s (min 8 games) …with one important caveat: he has one round yet to play. I think the biggest question heading into the…